Extendible l-plate for camera equipment

ABSTRACT

A two-piece extendable L-plate provides clearance between a camera and a quick-release receiver securing the camera to a support permitting a camera having cables connected to the side of the camera&#39;s body to be secured in either a landscape or a portrait orientation.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional App. No.61/709,371, filed Oct. 4, 2012.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a bracket suitable for interconnectingcamera equipment and a support for camera equipment and, moreparticularly, to an L-plate bracket facilitating changing theorientation of a supported camera equipment between landscape andportrait orientations.

Camera equipment often includes a threaded receptacle for attaching theequipment to a head mount of a tripod, monopod or other support. Acamera may be attached directly to a head mount of a support by a screwprojecting from the head mount but a quick-release mounting system iscommonly used to secure camera equipment, particularly higher end cameraequipment, to a tripod or other support. A quick-release camera mountingsystem typically includes a plate that is securable to the camera' bodyby a screw that is engageable with the threaded receptacle in the bottomof the camera. The screw projecting from the head mount provides a meansof securing a receiver to the tripod or other camera support. Aprojection or taper of the camera plate engages a complementary grooveor taper of the receiver and the camera plate is typically secured inthe receiver by a clamp or other quick-release mechanism. For example,many makers of photographic equipment utilize a quick-release systemdeveloped by camera equipment maker Arca-Swiss, International. TheArca-Swiss or arca-type quick-release system utilizes a dovetail tenonin the form of a 38 mm wide plate having at least two opposing edgessloping at 45 degrees. The plate is receivable and securable in areceiver by opposing sloping dovetail surfaces of a clamp, usuallyoperable by a lever or screw, such as the quick-release clamp describedin U.S. Pat. No. 6,773,172. The receiver may be attached to the headmount or, more commonly, to an intermediate attaching device, such as aballhead, pan head or gimbal head, affixed to the head mount.

A ballhead typically comprises a ball which has a radially projectingstem and which is supported in a socket in the ballhead's body. The bodyof the ballhead is secured to the head mount of a tripod or othersupport by the screw projecting from the head mount and engaging athreaded aperture in the bottom of the ballhead's body. Camera equipmentor a receiver, such as a clamp of a quick-release system, is attached tothe end of the stem projecting from the ball by a screw threaded into alongitudinally extending aperture in the stem. The ball and socket jointenables rotation of the ball in the body of the ballhead and the body,typically, includes a mechanism enabling constriction of the socket tolock the ball and the attached camera equipment in a desired attituderelative to the support. While the ball can be rotated 360° around thelongitudinal axis of the stem, rotation in directions transverse to theaxis of the stem is limited by interference between the stem and theedge of the ballhead's body.

The body of a ballhead may include one or more drop notches providingclearance for the stem to rotate 90° in a direction transverse to theaxis of the stem enabling the camera equipment to be moved from alandscape orientation to a portrait orientation and vice versa. Changingthe orientation of camera equipment attached to a ballhead fromlandscape to portrait or vice versa can be problematic. The cameraequipment is offset relative to the center of rotation of the ball andas the ball is rotated in directions transverse to the longitudinal axisof the stem the camera shifts both horizontally and vertically. If thecamera equipment is heavy, the horizontal movement of the weight maydestabilize the support and the vertical displacement of the camera maymake using the viewfinder difficult. In addition, shifting the locationof the camera's lens will change the setup for the shot particularly ifthe subject is close, for example, when shooting a macro. It may benecessary to move the tripod to compensate for the change in therelative positions of the camera and the subject. In addition, if thesupport is not sitting on a level surface, it may not be possible torotate the ball far enough to attain the portrait orientation before thestem of the ball makes contact with the bottom of the drop notch.

Attaching camera equipment to a support with an L-plate or L-bracketavoids the need to utilize a ballhead drop notch when switching asupported camera from landscape orientation to portrait orientation orvice versa. An L-plate includes a first portion attachable to the bottomof the camera's body and a second portion partially wrapping around thecamera's body to extend normal to the first portion and parallel to theside of the camera's body. Each portion of the L-plate includes aretention feature, for example, a tenon of a dovetail, enablingengagement with a receiver portion, for example, an Arca-Swiss typequick-release clamp, when the camera equipment is in either one of thetwo perpendicular photographic orientations. To switch a camera from alandscape orientation to a portrait orientation, the photographerreleases the quick-release device, rotates the camera ninety degrees,and engages and locks the mounting feature of the second portion of theL-plate in the receiver of the quick release system. The camera's lensis, typically, substantially centered with respect to the longitudinalaxis of the L-plate's two mounting features and movement of the lensrelative to the head mount of the support is minimized when the camera'sorientation is changed.

While an L-plate facilitates photography with a tripod, monopod or othersupport, use of an L-plate with a digital camera can be problematic.Digital cameras are commonly connectable to remote devices, such as acomputer, a printer or a video monitor, for downloading and viewingimages and video captured with the camera. In addition, remoteaccessories, such as a microphone, a flash unit or a remote shuttercontrol switch, may be connected to the camera. The connectors for thecable assemblies connecting these remote devices to the camera arecommonly located behind one or more doors on the side of the camera'sbody and when the L-plate and camera are turned for the portraitorientation, there is, typically, insufficient distance between the bodyof the camera and the L-plate and/or the receiver of the quick-releasesystem to accommodate passage of the cable assembly(ies) connecting thecamera to the remote device(s). A cable relief spacer may be insertedbetween the L-plate and the receiver to provide clearance for connectorsand cables but this is, typically, a small, loose piece which can beeasily misplaced and may not be carried with the camera equipment and,therefore, may be unavailable when needed.

What is desired therefore is a mounting device that permits theorientation of supported camera equipment to be changed without the needto carry a separate piece of equipment to provide clearance for cablingconnecting the camera to a remote device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a camera attached in a landscapeorientation to a tripod mounted ballhead with an extendible L-plate.

FIG. 2 is an elevation view of a first end of a base plate of anextendible L-plate.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the bottom of the base plate of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an elevation view of the end of the base plate opposing theend of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an elevation view of the side of a camera attached to theextendible L-plate of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an extendible L-plate.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the extendible L-plate of FIG. 6 withthe base plate and side plate in an extended position.

FIG. 8 is a cross-section of the leg portion of the side plate of FIG. 7taken along line A-A.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the bottom of the L-plate of FIG. 6illustrating separation of the side plate and the base plate.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the bottom of the base plate of FIG. 6illustrating the securing of a camera to the base plate.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the bottom of the L-plate of FIG. 6illustrating assembly of the side plate and the base plate.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the bottom of the L-plate of FIG. 6illustrating securing of the side plate and the base plate.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the bottom of the L-plate of FIG. 6illustrating securing of the side plate and the base plate in theextended position.

FIG. 14 is a front elevation view of a camera attached in a portraitorientation to a tripod mounted ballhead with a collapsed extendibleL-plate.

FIG. 15 is a front elevation view of a camera attached in a portraitorientation to a tripod mounted ballhead with an extended extendibleL-plate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring in detail to the drawings where similar parts are identifiedby like reference numerals, and, more particularly to FIG. 1, to providestability and to reduce blurring, photographic equipment 20, forexample, a camera body 48, a lens and one or more accessories, is oftenaffixed to a support, such as a tripod 22 or monopod. While cameraequipment 20 can be attached directly to a tripod 22 or other support,cameras are commonly affixed to a support with an intermediate device,such as a ballhead 24, pan head or gimbal head which is usually securedto the head mount 26 of the support by a screw that projects upwardthrough the head mount into threaded engagement with a threaded aperturein the body of the intermediate device. A ballhead 24 comprisesgenerally a ball 28 which is retained in a socket 30 in the ballhead'sbody 32. The ball 28 typically includes a radially projecting stem 34 towhich the photographic equipment or a receiver of a quick-release systemis attached. The ball-in-socket joint enables unlimited rotation of theball about the longitudinal axis of the stem 34 and limited rotation ofthe ball in directions transverse to the stem's axis. The ballhead'sbody 32 typically includes a mechanism enabling constriction of thesocket to hold the ball and the camera equipment in a position desiredby the photographer.

Rotation of the ball 28 in directions transverse to the longitudinalaxis of the stem 34, is limited by interference between the stem and theupper edge 36 of the ballhead's body. The bodies of many ballheadsinclude one or more drop notches 38 in the upper surface of the body toprovide additional clearance for the stem enabling the orientation ofthe camera to be shifted between a landscape orientation with the lowersurface 46 of the camera's body 48 arranged substantially horizontal anda portrait orientation with the lower surface arranged substantiallyvertical. However, utilizing a drop notch of a ballhead to change cameraorientation can be problematic because the location of the lens and thecenter of mass of the photographic equipment move horizontally andvertically as the camera is rotated about the center of the ball indirections transverse to the longitudinal axis of the stem. This cancause the support to become unstable and may substantially alter thesetup of a shot, particularly when the subject to be photographed andthe camera are close to each other.

FIG. 1 illustrates a photographic equipment mounting assembly 40,commonly referred to as an L-plate or L-bracket, comprising a basemember or plate 42 and a side member or plate 44 projectingsubstantially normal to the base plate to wrap around and extendparallel to the side of the camera's body 48. Referring also to FIGS. 2,3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, the base plate 42 of the extendible L-plate 40preferably has an upper camera body interface portion 60 adapted toreceive and restrain the lower surface 46 of the body 48 of a camera. Atleast one of the edges 62 of the upper portion 60 of the base platepreferably projects upward from the longitudinal center 64 of the upperportion to define a shallow receptacle shaped for close fittingengagement with the lower surface of the camera's body. This receptaclerestrains the camera against twisting about an axis normal to thesurface of the upper portion without the need for an intervening layerof friction material which could enhance vibrational freedom of thecamera. The interface portion of the base plate also includes a featureenabling the base plate to be secured to the body of the camera. Whileother securing features such as a latch might be used to secure a camerato a base plate, cameras commonly include a threaded aperture in thelower portion of the body which is engageable by a screw 66 thatprojects upward through the upper surface of the base plate 42.Preferably, the screw is secured in the base plate. For example, thescrew may include a shank with an unthreaded portion proximate thescrew's head which permits the screw to rotate in a tapped hole in thebase plate without backing out.

The lower portion of the base plate 42 includes an L-plate retentionfeature comprising a first central raised portion 68 having depressedcentral portion 70 and a general shape, in a plan view, of the letter U.Opposing peripheral surfaces of the legs 72, 74 of the first raisedportion 68 each comprise a surface portion 76, 78 sloping (e.g.,arranged at a forty-five degree angle) so that the cross-section of thefirst central raised portion has the shape and dimension of a dovetailtenon and, preferably, the tenon portion of an Arca-Swizz quick-releasesystem. Camera equipment may be attached to a ballhead 24 or otherattaching device in the landscape orientation by engaging the base plate42 of the L-plate 40 with a receiver 36 of a quick-release system, forexample, a clamp of the Arca-Swizz quick-release system, which isattached to the stem 34 of the ballhead. Referring also to FIG. 5, tosecure the base plate 42 in the receiver 36, the Arca-Swizz receivertypically comprises a lever 45 or screw operated clamping body 43 withsloping opposed jaw surfaces 48 arranged to engage and clamp the slopingsurfaces 76, 78 of the base plate 42.

A side plate engagement portion, a second central raised portion 80,projects outward at the longitudinal center of the depressed centralportion 70 of the first raised portion 68. The second central raisedportion is discontinuous comprising a first portion 82 and a secondportion 84 enabling location of the camera securing element, screw 66,at the center 64 of the base plate. Opposing sides of the second raisedportion 80 also include surface portions 86, 88 that slope toward thelongitudinal center of the second raised portion so that the secondraised portion also has a cross-section of a dovetail tenon.

The side plate 44 of the L-plate 40 includes a lower leg 102 and anupper leg 104 which includes a first portion 106 that projectssubstantially normal to the lower leg. In an elevation view, the firstportion 106 of the exemplary side plate has the general shape of arectangular tube section defining a central aperture. The generallyparallel vertical sides 108, 110 of the first portion 106 have generallyrectangular cross-sections with opposing peripheral surfaces eachincluding a slot-like feature 112 comprising a surface portion 114sloping (e.g., arranged at a forty-five degree angle). The first portion106 comprises second L-plate retention feature securable by engagementwith the receiver having a cross-section the shape of a dovetail tenonand, preferably, the tenon element of an Arca-Swizz quick-releasesystem. In the exemplary L-plate, one side 108 of the first portion 106of the upper leg 104 also an offset surface portion 116 in a receiverengaging surface 118. The offset surface portion 116 is arranged toaccept a portion of a cable assembly 50 connectable to a remote cameracontrol switch or other camera accessory (not shown) when the engagingsurface 118 is in contact with a receiver. A second portion 120 of theupper leg 104 of the exemplary L-plate connects the first portion 106with the lower leg 102. In elevation, the second portion 120 of theupper leg 104 is also generally the shape of a section of rectangulartubing defining an aperture 122 providing access to the camera's batterywhich is concealed behind a cover 52 in the side of the camera's body.

Referring also to FIG. 8, the lower leg 102 of the side plate 44 has agenerally rectangular cross-section preferably having a dimensionapproximating the width of the depressed central portion 70 of the baseplate 42. The upper surface 125 of the lower leg 102 includes adepressed central portion 126 extending approximately the length of theraised second portion 80 of the base plate. The depressed centralportion 126 of the lower leg has opposed sloping sides 128 defining ashape of a dovetail mortise engagement portion which is arranged toengage slidingly with the dovetail tenon defined by the raised secondportion 80 of the base plate 42.

Referring also to FIGS. 9, 10 and 11, a camera is attached to the cameramounting assembly 40 by removing a securing element, a screw 152, thatextends through an aperture 124 in the lower leg 102 of the side plate44 into threaded engagement with a tapped hole 90 in the base plate 42and separating the base plate 42 and the side plate 44. For convenienceand security a tool 154, preferably a hexagonal key, useful in removingand installing the screw 152 is removably stored in the base plate. Afirst portion of the tool 154 is inserted into a cavity 156 extendinglongitudinally into the base plate 42 from the end of the base plate.Preferably, the tool is steel and includes a second portion projectingnormal to the first portion which can be arranged approximatelyco-planar with the base plate. The steel tool can be secured in thecavity by a magnet 158 inset in the end of the base plate 42. The tool154 is removed from the storage cavity and used to loosen and remove thescrew 152 enabling the base plate 42 and the side plate 44 to beseparated by sliding the two plates apart.

The camera mounting screw 66 is retained in the base plate 42 andprojects from the upper surface of the base plate for threadedengagement with a threaded mounting hole in the bottom 46 of camera body48. The tool 154 can be used to tighten the mounting screw.

Referring also to FIG. 12, the extendible L-plate 40 is re-assembled, byinserting the lower leg 102 of the side plate 44 into the centraldepression 70 of the base plate 42 to engage the first engagementportion, the dovetail tenon portion 80 of the base plate, with thecooperating second engagement portion, the dovetail mortise in the lowerleg 102 of the side plate 44. The side plate 44 is secured to the baseplate 42 by inserting the screw 152 through the aperture 124 in thelower leg 102 of the side plate and engaging threads within the aperture90 in the base plate.

Referring to FIG. 1, the camera equipment 20 can be attached to a tripod22, monopod, or other support in the landscape orientation, e.g. thebottom surface 46 of the camera's body 48 substantially horizontal, byengaging the dovetail tenon of the first raised portion 68 of the baseplate 42 with the cooperating dovetail clamping surfaces 46, 48 of aclamp portion 43 of a quick-release receiver 36 affixed to the support.To switch the camera to the portrait orientation, e.g. with the bottomsurface 46 of the camera substantially vertical, the user releases theclamp of the quick-release receiver and disengages the dovetail tenon ofthe base plate from the receiver. Referring to FIG. 14, if the camera isnot attached to a remote device by cabling that would interfere with thereceiver, the camera equipment 20 can be rotated to the portraitorientation and the dovetail surfaces of the side plate 44 inserted intothe clamping body 43 of the receiver 36 and secured.

However, it may be desirable to connect the camera to one or moreremotely located accessories, such as a microphone, shutter controlswitch or a flash unit. In addition, digital cameras are commonlyconnected to remote devices, such as, a computer, printer or videomonitor to enable transferring and viewing images and video capturedwith the camera. To enable communication with remote devices andaccessories, a digital camera commonly includes portions of one or morecable connectors, such as an Ethernet connector 202 or an N-typeconnector 206, located behind one or more doors 204 in the side of thecamera's body 48. For example, referring again to FIG. 1, plural cableassemblies 50, 54, and 56 connect the exemplary camera equipment 20 toone or more remote devices or accessories (not shown). Each cableassembly includes an appropriate connector portion, such as, a universalserial bus (USB) connector 208, a high definition multi-media interface(HDMI) connector 210, an N-type connector 207 or other connectorutilized in communicating with the specific remote device or accessory.As illustrated in FIG. 1, connectors and cables of some cable assemblies54, 56 extend distal of the engaging face 118 of the side plate 44 andwould interfere with the receiver 36 if the camera was turned to theportrait orientation. A cable relief spacer could be inserted betweenthe engaging face 118 of the side plate 44 and the receiver if cablesare to be connected to a camera in a portrait orientation, but a cablerelief spacer is a small, loose piece that is easily misplaced or leftbehind. The inventor concluded that a separate piece of equipment toprovide clearance for connecting cables to a camera in the portraitorientation was unnecessary if the distance between the engaging face118 of the side plate 44 and the camera interface portion of theL-plate, for example, the distance to between the engaging face and themounting screw 66 in the base plate 42, could be extended whennecessary. Referring to FIGS. 12 and 13, to extend the L-plate 40, theuser removes the tool 154 from the storage cavity 156 in the base plateand unscrews the screw 152 the base plate 42 to the side plate 44. Withthe screw removed, the base plate and the side plate to be slid awayfrom each other while remaining connected by the cooperating dovetailportion 80 of the base plate and the dovetail portion 26 of the lowerleg 102. The screw 152 is inserted in a second aperture 160 in the lowerleg 102 of the base plate and threaded into engagement with the threadedaperture 90 in the base plate 42 to secure the base plate 42 and theside plate 44 in the extended position. Referring to FIG. 15, byextending the L-plate 40, clearance can be provided between the camera'sbody 48 and the side plate 44 providing clearance for cable assembliesprojecting from the side of the camera body.

The two-piece extendable L-plate provides clearance between a camerabody and the apparatus securing the camera to a support for cablesconnected to the side of the camera permitting the camera to besupported on a tripod or other support in either landscape or portraitorientation without the use of a separate spacer element.

The detailed description, above, sets forth numerous specific details toprovide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However,those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention maybe practiced without these specific details. In other instances, wellknown methods, procedures, components, and circuitry have not beendescribed in detail to avoid obscuring the present invention.

All the references cited herein are incorporated by reference.

The terms and expressions that have been employed in the foregoingspecification are used as terms of description and not of limitation,and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, ofexcluding equivalents of the features shown and described or portionsthereof, it being recognized that the scope of the invention is definedand limited only by the claims that follow.

I (we) claim:
 1. A mounting assembly for mounting photographic equipment on a receiving apparatus, said mounting assembly including: (a) a base member including a portion defining a retention feature engageable and securable by said receiving apparatus, a photographic equipment interface portion and a first engagement portion; and (b) a side member including a portion defining another retention feature engageable and securable by said receiving apparatus and a leg projecting substantially normal to said other retention feature and comprising a second engagement portion slidably engageable with said first engagement portion.
 2. The mounting assembly of claim 1 further comprising a securing element arranged to releasably secure said sliding engagement of said side member and said base member.
 3. The mounting assembly of claim 1 wherein one of said first engagement portion and said second engagement portion comprises plural surfaces defining a dovetail tenon and the other of said first engagement portion and said second engagement portion comprises plural surfaces defining a mortise engageable with said dovetail tenon.
 4. The mounting assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of said retention feature and said another retention feature comprises plural surfaces defining a dovetail tenon.
 5. The mounting assembly of claim 1 wherein base member further comprises: (a) a portion defining an aperture; and (b) a magnetic element secured to said base member and arranged to retain a tool inserted in said aperture.
 6. The mounting assembly of claim 1 wherein said another retention feature includes discontinuous first and second portions.
 7. A mounting assembly for securing photographic equipment in a receiving apparatus, said mounting assembly comprising: (a) a base member including a portion defining a retention feature engageable and securable by said receiving apparatus, an interface enabling securing of said photographic equipment to said base member and plural surfaces defining a dovetail tenon portion; and (b) a side member including: (i) a leg portion including plural surfaces defining a dovetail mortise slidably engageable with said dovetail tenon portion of said base member; and (ii) a side portion including a portion defining another retention feature engageable with and securable by said receiving apparatus, said another retention feature arranged substantially normal to said retention feature and movable relative to said interface by sliding said base member on said leg portion.
 8. The mounting assembly of claim 7 further comprising a securing element arranged to secure sliding engagement of said leg portion and said base member with said another retention feature at either of plural distances from said interface.
 9. The mounting assembly of claim 7 wherein said retention feature and said another retention feature each comprise plural surfaces defining a dovetail tenon.
 10. The mounting assembly of claim 7 wherein base member further comprises: (a) a portion defining an aperture; and (b) a magnetic element secured to said base member and arranged to retain a tool inserted in said aperture.
 11. The mounting assembly of claim 7 wherein said another retention feature includes discontinuous first and second portions.
 12. A mounting assembly for mounting photographic equipment in a receiving apparatus, said mounting assembly comprising: (a) a base member including a portion defining a retention feature engageable and securable by said receiving apparatus, an interface enabling securing of said photographic equipment to said base member and plural surfaces defining a dovetail tenon portion; and (b) a side member including: (i) a leg portion including plural surfaces defining a dovetail mortise sliding engageable with said dovetail tenon portion of said base member; and (ii) a side portion including: (a) an approximately rectangular upper portion defining an approximately rectangular center aperture and having peripheral portions defining another retention feature arranged substantially normal to said leg portion and engageable and securable by said receiving apparatus; and (b) an approximately rectangular middle portion connecting said upper portion and said leg portion and defining a second approximately rectangular center aperture.
 13. The mounting assembly of claim 12 further comprising a securing element arranged to secure sliding engagement of said leg portion and said base member with said another retention feature at either of plural distances from said interface.
 14. The mounting assembly of claim 12 wherein said retention feature and said another retention feature each comprise plural surfaces defining a dovetail tenon.
 15. The mounting assembly of claim 12 wherein base member further comprises: (a) a portion defining an aperture; and (b) a magnetic element secured to said base member arranged to retain a tool inserted in said aperture.
 16. The mounting assembly of claim 12 wherein said another retention feature includes portions defining a discontinuity.
 17. The mounting assembly of claim 11 wherein a surface engageable with a surface of said receiving apparatus is discontinuous. 